Are all men created equal? The answer is no. In this country being black means having been discriminated against at some time. Racism has existed for decades and affirmative action helps to make education available to blacks. Affirmative action if done the right way can be a victory for higher education for minorities.


Minority enrollment in colleges wouldn’t happen without equal opportunities. Blacks for years were denied going to school, much less being able to go to college. If they can only get into school on their SAT scores they are at a disadvantage. As Stanley Fish states, “Statistical studies have suggested that test scores reflect income and socioeconomic status” (2). Affirmative action is the policy that helps blacks gain equal opportunity after years of unfair treatment. “But blacks have not simply been treated unfairly; they have been subjected to decades of slavery and …. educational deprivation, and cultural stigmatization” (Fish 1). It would be impossible for them to compete with whites to get into colleges. In the end a diverse student body helps to break down racial stereotypes that still exist in our culture.


The side against affirmative action will argue that many young blacks have never experienced racial discrimination so why should they be given an advantage. Not all blacks are disadvantaged but as Shelby Steele states, “the white children of alumni are often grandfathered into elite universities…. as a residual benefit of historic white privilege” (1).


Another argument against affirmative action is that diversity should not equal to color. “By making blacks the color of preference, these mandates have re-burdened society with the very marriage of color and preference that we set out to eradicate” (Steele 1). In the end the blacks were the minorities most discriminated against and therefore need help the most. Many say that blacks must take responsibility for their own education but blacks have spent decades deprived of education so that isn’t fair.


Affirmative action policies should continue being used for college entrance. Why should we not help those who were discriminated against and be fair? Just because a small percentage of black students who aren’t disadvantaged are getting in doesn’t mean we should punish them all. Blacks must take responsibility for their own education but society owes them an equal opportunity at this education.